Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 6.djvu/120

 76 THE BATTLE OF fNKERMAN. CHAP. VI. Northern half of Mount lukerman left in enemy's power. Slight efforts to strengthen the more northerly batteries of the Karabel Fau- bourg, and the Vladimir and the Chersonese steam -ships lying moored on the east of the roadstead, made him sure of his dominion on the Sapper's Eoad, and could cover the advance and retreat of either those troops which were to operate from Sebastopol or those brought from Inkermau Bridge. Moreover, the starboard bat- teries of the two ships, whilst held ready to sweep with their tire the nearest hillsides of the Mount, could also search the ravines ; and, in the event of the fight being rolled towards the north, might interpose with great power. If occupied in its entirety by even a moderate force well secured against the peril of having its communications cut oft', Mount Inkerman might have been guarded with comparative ease ; * but an undisputed dominion over the northern half of the Mount had been deliberately left to Prince MentschikofF ; -f- and thus it might happen that at the very outset of the battle, General Penne- father would be assailed by an army already shar- ing the heights with him. There were many who saw that the charge and the peril of defending the southern half of Mount towards the north. — See ' Invasion of the Crimea,' vol. iv. of the Cabinet Edition, pp. 230, 231. + See ibid., p. 231, for the reasons which prevented the occu- pation of the ground. As showing the completeness of the enemy's empire over the northern part of Mount Inkerman, see the narrative of the ' Lesser Inkerman,' ' Invus'on of the Crimea,' vol. v. of Cabinet I'^dition, pp. 269, 270.
 * By pushing forward strong outposts to occupy the spurs